Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-11-26


Failure must come sooner or later to the man
who breaks the Sabbath. Inspiration has
rallied it the Lords day. and he who devotes
it to the world is guilty Of robbery. God
will not let the sin go unpublished, either in
this world or the world to come
While the divine frown must rest upon
him who tramples upon this statute Gods
special favor will be upon that young man
who scrupuously observes it, This day,
properly observed, will throw hallowed in
duence over all the week. The song and SER
.,Ion and sanctuary will hold back from pro
sumptuous sins That young man who
begins the duties Of life with either secret or
open disrespect of the holy day, venture to
prophesy, will meet with no permanent sue
cesses. Gods curse will fall upon his ship,
his store, his Office, his studio, his body and
his soul. The way of the wicked he turneth
upside down In one of the cd Iaolcs it was
said that a wonderful child was born in Bag
dad and magician could hear his footsteps
600 miles away. But can hear in the foot
step of that young man, on his way to the
house of worship this morning. step not only
of lifetime of usefulness, but the coming
step of eternal joys of heaven yet millions
OF miles away.
There are magnificent possibilities before
each OF you young men Of the stout hearr,
and the buoyant step and the bounding
spirit. / would marshal you for grand
achievement. God now provides for YOU the
feet and the armor and the Qualifications.
WHO'S on the Lords sides The captain of the
zouavcs in ancient times, to encourage them
against the immense odds on the side of their
enemies, said: "Come my men. ook these
fellows in.the facc They are 6,000, you are
5O0. Surely The match is even" That
speech gave them the victory Be not my
h-arer, dismayed at any time by what SENS
an immense odds against you. Is fortune, is
want OF education. are men, are devils
Al.n,. 4
and hell comfort you, stand up to the
charge With 100000 against you the
match is just even. Nay, you have decided
advantage. If God be for us, who can be
against uss Thus protected, you need not
spend much time in answering your ASA l.
ants.
Many years ago word came to me that two
impostors, as temperance lecturers, had been
speaking in Ohio in various places md CIV
ing. their experience, and they told their
audience that they had long been intimate
with me and had become drunkards by dining
at my table, where 1 always had liquors OF
all sorts. Indignant to the last degree
went down to Patrick Campbell, chief of
Brooklyn police, saying was going to start
that night to Ohio to have these vii
lians arrested, and l wanted him to
tell me how to make the arrest. He smiled
and said "Do not waste your time by chas-
ing these men. Go homo and do your work,
y
counsel and all was well. Long ago made
up my mind that if ono will put his trust in
God and be faithful to duty he need t fear
any evil. Have God on your side, young
man, and all the combined forces Of earth
and hell can do no damage
And this leads me to say that the mighties.
of all defense for young man is the poser
sion OF thorough religious principle Not hing
can take the place of it He may have man.
ners that would put to shame the graceful
ness and courtesy of Lord Chesterfield For
eign languages may drop from his tongue.
He may be able to discuss literatures and
laws and foreign customs. He may WELD
pen of unequaled polish and power. Hisquick
ness and tact may qualify him for the high
est salary OF the counting house. He may be
as sharp as Herod and as strong as Samson
with as fine locks as those which hung Absa-
LON, still he is not safe from contamina-
ton The more elegant his manner, and the
more fascinating his dress, the more peril
Satan does not care much for the allegiance
of coward and illiterate being. He cannot
bring him into efficient service Bnt he loves
to storm that castle Of character which has
in it the most spoils and treasures. Il was
not some crazy craft creeping along the coast
with valueless cargo that the pirate at
tackled, but the ship, full winged and tagged,
plying between great ports, carrying its
million of specie. The more your natural
and acquired accomplishments, the more
cut IN upon or hack up any smoothness of
disposition or behavior. 1t gives symmetry
it arrests that in the soul which ought to be
arrested, and propels that which ought
to be propelled 1t fills up the gulleys. 1t
elevates and transforms. When the Holy
Spirit impresses the image of God on the
heart he does not spoil the canvas If in all
the multitudes of-y young men upon whom re-
ligion has acted YOU could find one nature
that had been the least damaged, l would
yield this proposition, You may now have
enough strength of character to repel the
various temptations to gross wickedness
which asSall you, but l do not know in
what strait you may be thrust at some
future time. Nothing short of the grace Cf
the cross may then be able to deliver YOU
from the lions. You are not neeker than
Moses, nor holier than David, nor more pa
tient than Job, and you ought not to consider
yourself tnvulnerab.e. You may have some
weak point of character that you have never
discovered, and in some hour when You
are assaulted the Philistines will be
upon thee, Samson. Trust not in your
good habits, or your early training, or
your pride OF chara ter; nothing Short
of the arm of Almighty God will be sufficient
TO uphold you. You look forward to the
world sometimes with n chilling Dependency.
Cheer up! / will tell you how you all may
make fortune. Seek first the kingdom Of
God and his righteousness and all other things
VIII De auueu unto you. ~ Know you do net
want TO be mean in this m1tter Give God
the freshness OF your life. You will not have
the heart to drink down the trimming cup of
life and then pour the drcg's on Gods
altar To Saviour SO infinitely generous
you have not the heart to act like
that That is not brave, that is not
honorable, that is not manly. Your greatest
want in oil the world il new heart. In Gods
name tell you that And the Blessed Spirit
presses through the solemnities and privi-
leges Of this holy hour. Put the cup Of lie
eternal to your thirsty lips. Thrust it not
back. Mercy offers it, bleeding mercy, long
suffering mercy. Reject all other friend.
ships; be ungratefu for all other kindness.
prove recreant TO all other bargains, but
despise God love for your immortal soul
don't you do that.
would like to see some OF you this hour
press out of thu ranks of the world and Law
your conquered spirit at the feet Of Jesus.
This hour is no wandering vagabond stagger
ing over the earth; it is winged messenger
of the skies whispering mercy to thy soul
Life is smooth now but after while it may
be rough. wild and precipitate. There comes |
n crisis in the history OF every man. We
seldom understand unaJ turning point until
It is far past. The road Of life is forked and
read ON two signDoartls "This is the way
10 happiness This is the way to ruin